The present invention relates to an earphone, and more specifically to an adapter for an earphone that secures the earphone within a cavity or pocket of the ear of a user.
Conventional earphones that fit in a cavity or pocket proximate an acoustic meatus of an external ear such that the earphone remains in the ear are known. Some earphones, such as those that are bundled with Apple's iPod® and other media devices, rest in the pocket formed between the tragus, the antitragus and the acoustic meatus of the ear. However, because ears differ greatly in size and shape among different users and the earphones do not attach to the ear, such conventional earphones may unintentionally detach from a user's ear or may become displaced within the cavity of the user's ear.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,111,861 discloses an earphone having a base with adjustable tragus arms for securing the earphone to the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear and for attaching to differently sized ears. The base of the earphone of U.S. Pat. No. 8,111,861 prevents lateral (i.e., side to side) movement or displacement of the earphone and also prevents movement or displacement of the earphone in a downward direction toward the lobule of the ear.
In order to provide even greater security against movement of the earphone in either the upwards or longitudinal direction away from the lobule and toward the antihelix of the ear, it would be desirable to provide an earphone or an adapter for an earphone which remains secured in place within the cavity of a user's ear, such that upward movement or displacement of the earphone is prevented, and which is configured to be used with differently sized ears.